Image display apparatus and method of driving the same

Abstract

An image display apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a plurality of panels arranged in a matrix form, each panel having, on its display surface, a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; a first junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction; a second junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a vertical direction; a first optical member covering the first junction portion, and magnifying or diffusing the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the first junction portion with an anisotropy in a first direction; and a second optical member covering the second junction portion, and magnifying and diffusing the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the second junction portion with an anisotropy in a second direction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An image display apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of panels arranged in a matrix form, each panel having, on a display surface, a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; 
 a first junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction; 
 a second junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a vertical direction; 
 a first optical member covering the first junction portion and magnifying or diffusing, with an anisotropy in a first direction, the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the first junction portion, and 
 a second optical member covering the second junction portion and magnifying, with an anisotropy in a second direction, the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the second junction portion, 
 wherein: 
 the first direction of the first optical member is tilted relative to a vertical direction of the panels; and 
 the second direction of the second optical member is tilted relative to the vertical direction of the panels. 
 
     
     
       2. The image display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an optical aperture portion is provided to the display surface of each of the plurality of panels. 
     
     
       3. An image display apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of panels arranged in a matrix form, each panel haying, on a display surface, a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; 
 a first junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction; 
 a second junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a vertical direction; 
 a first optical member covering the first junction portion and magnifying or diffusing, with an anisotropy in a first direction, the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the first junction portion; and 
 a second optical member covering the second junction portion and magnifying, with an anisotropy in a second direction, the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the second junction portion, 
 wherein: 
 the first optical member is arranged to be axisymmetric with respect to a central line of the first junction portion; 
 the second optical member is arranged to be axisymmetric with respect to a central line of the second junction portion; and 
 the first and the second optical members are arranged to be point-symmetric with respect to an intersection of the central line of the first junction portion and the central line of the second junction portion, and 
 wherein: 
 the plurality of panels are four panels arranged in 2 rows and 2 columns; 
 the first direction is parallel to the vertical direction of the panels; and 
 the second direction is tilted relative to the vertical direction of the panels. 
 
     
     
       4. The image display apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the first and the second optical members is a cylindrical lens. 
     
     
       5. An image display apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of panels arranged in a matrix form, each panel having, on a display surface, a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; 
 a first junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction; 
 a second junction portion provided between the panels adjacent to each other in a vertical direction; 
 a first optical member covering the first junction portion and magnifying or diffusing, with an anisotropy in a first direction, the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the first junction portion; and 
 a second optical member covering the second junction portion and magnifying, with an anisotropy in a second direction, the pixels of the panels in the vicinity of the second junction portion, 
 wherein the first and the second optical members are arranged to be axisymmetric with respect to a central line of the second junction portion, and the first and the second optical members are not arranged to be point-symmetric with respect to an intersection of a central line of the first junction portion and the central line of the second junction portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The image display apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the plurality of panels include nine or more panels arranged in at least 3 rows and 3 columns; 
 the first direction is parallel to the vertical direction of the panels; and 
 the second direction is tilted relative to the vertical direction of the panels. 
 
     
     
       7. The image display apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first optical member includes a first sub optical member located above the central line of the first junction portion, and a second sub optical member located below the central line of the first junction portion; 
 each of the first and the second sub optical members has a function of magnifying or diffusing pixels in a direction parallel to the vertical direction of the panels, and the first and the second sub optical members are arranged to be axisymmetric with respect to the central line of the first junction portion; 
 the second optical member includes a third sub optical member located on the left side of the central line of the second junction portion, and a fourth sub optical member located on the right side of the central line of the second junction portion; 
 the first sub optical member has a function of magnifying or diffusing pixels in a direction connecting an upper left end and a lower right end of the panels; and 
 the second sub optical member has a function of magnifying or diffusing pixels in a direction connecting an upper right end and a lower left end of the panels. 
 
     
     
       8. The image display apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first and the second optical members are cylindrical lenses.